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I see that the first in Simon Scarrow's new YA Gladiator series is out already - the title is Fight for Freedom. Going for the teenage market marks a change of pace for Simon Scarrow, known for his adult Roman and Napoleonic War series. I'm recommending that the library gets on to buying a copy as soon as - I want to read it!

Apparently SS has dedicated Fight for Freedom to another one of my favourite authors, Rosemary Sutcliff- good one, Simon

"annis" wrote:I see that the first in Simon Scarrow's new YA Gladiator series is out already - the title is Fight for Freedom. Going for the teenage market marks a change of pace for Simon Scarrow, known for his adult Roman and Napoleonic War series. I'm recommending that the library gets on to buying a copy as soon as - I want to read it!

Apparently SS has dedicated Fight for Freedom to another one of my favourite authors, Rosemary Sutcliff- good one, Simon

He does and indeed 'good one Simon'; but unfortunately the dedication in the Puffin publication slipped past the proof-reader and spells Sutcliff wrongly, with an E! The dedication reads "For Rosemary Sutcliffe (sic) who has inspired so many of us to love history." Another won for what I call Sutcliff Spelling watch at http://www.rosemarysutcliff.com!

But it is the dedication which really matters, and that "impact on so many of us".

unfortunately the dedication in the Puffin publication slipped past the proof-reader and spells Sutcliff wrongly, with an E! The dedication reads "For Rosemary Sutcliffe (sic) who has inspired so many of us to love history." Another won for what I call Sutcliff Spelling watch at http://www.rosemarysutcliff.com!

Oh, that is a pity - and once a book's been published nothing can be done about mistakes like this which have slipped through.

Well, I've since received and read Fight for Freedom. It's an entertaining and lively adventure set around the Spartacus Rebellion of 73 BC and its aftermath. It's clearly aimed at boys aged 10 to 14, and perfectly pitched for the target readership. Scarrow wins kudos from me for the presentation - the print is clear and lines double-spaced. This has been proven to help boys who are reluctant or struggling readers and for the same reason the language is kept fairly simple without spoiling the pace and excitement of the story.

It's great to see an author making an effort to bring the joy of reading to this often overlooked group, yet underachieving boys are a major concern and deserve all of our encouragement. Boys need a male hero to identify with in fiction. Scarrow understands this and provides a sympathetic, believable one in young Marcus - he has the vulnerability of a boy, yet does his best to be brave and help his family without any superman-style heroics which no real boy could actually manage. There is an accompanying website with further information for readers who want to find out more. I'm guessing Simon Scarrow will pick up a loyal following of youngsters for this series. Bravo!

Plaudits to SS for this - I totally agree that there is a gap there to be filled for the YA market. And presenting an inspirational role model for this age group (okay apart from advocating the use of a sword ) can only be a good thing.

An enjoyable read, but definitely designed for a younger reader, so a bit simplistic for adult readers. I'd stick to the Cato & Macro books by choice (Just finished Legion a short while ago and enjoyed it.)